Thursday Fulham Stuff (11/04/19)...

[WhiteJC]

 
What does the future hold for Aleksandar Mitrovic at Fulham?

Leicester City have been completely transformed under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers as they continue to edge closer towards securing a European spot.

The Foxes put in arguably their best performance yet under the Northern Irishman last time out against Huddersfield Town, as goals from Youri Tielemans, James Maddison and Jamie Vardy sealed the win.

However, it appears as if Rodgers is already looking to strengthen his side in the summer, as according to Sportski Zurnal (via Leicester Mercury), Leicester City have joined the race for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Fulham have been relegated to the Championship already after a poor first season back in the Premier League, and one of the players who belongs in the top-flight is the Serbian international.

Mitrovic, who is valued at £22.5 million (by Transfermarkt), has been impressive in the Premier League this season, despite his lack of service and support at times, as he's produced 10 goals and two assists for the Cottagers. But, in a side like Leicester's he would find himself being presented with a lot more chances, which would inevitably increase his tally.

Of course, pushing Jamie Vardy out of the starting lineup at the King Power Stadium isn't an option as he's been simply sensational once again this season. Instead, Rodgers should look to deploy the Serbian alongside Vardy at the pinnacle of the attack, as the mixture of pace and strength could work perfectly.

Indeed, the likes of Marc Albrighton, Demarai Gray and James Maddison are very accomplished when it comes to crossing the ball, so the Fulham forward would thrive off their service in the final third.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/features/what-does-the-future-hold-for/what-does-the-future-hold-for-aleksandar-mitrovic-at-fulham-2/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham fan's 'Come on You Whites' number plate banned for racism in US

To Fulham fan Jonathan Kotler 'Come on You Whites' is just an expression of support, but California's Department of Motor Vehicles has said it could be seen as racist


The London club were relegated from the Premier League earlier this month ( Getty )

American bureaucrats have refused a Fulham Football Club fan's application for a personalised "Come on You Whites" number plate on the grounds that it could be deemed racist.

Long distance season ticket holder Jonathan Kotler, an academic at the University of Southern California, applied for the "COY-W" number plate after Fulham were promoted from the Championship last season. The club were relegated back to the Championship earlier this month.

He was astonished when the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) rejected his application on the grounds that because the letters COY-W stood for "Come on You Whites", the proposed number plate "can have racial connotations".

Mr Kotler, 73, a professor specialising in constitutional rights and media law, is now suing the DMV, claiming the refusal breaches his freedom of speech rights under the first amendment of the US constitution.

Because his lawsuit also calls for a blanket ban on the DMW being allowed to refuse plates on "taste and decency" grounds, it could potentially overturn how things have worked in California since 1973, when the department won a court ruling to stop a male driver getting the number plate EZ LAY.

"You can't allow bureaucrats to make decisions that are fundamental to what it means to be an American, and our free speech is one of those things," said Mr Kotler. "When the government starts to infringe on our rights, that's when the individual citizen must speak up."

Despite being born in New Jersey, Mr Kotler has been a Fulham fan for decades, ever since he visited Craven Cottage and watched the team play.

He regularly travels from California to attend matches in London, catching an 11-hour flight to get back to his university in time to teach students on Tuesday.

He applied for his personalised number plate after Fulham's promotion-winning 2017-18 season, but in June 2018 received a letter from the DMV saying the application had been refused because it carried "connotations offensive to good taste and decency". 

Mr Kotler demanded a review and submitted a series of documents proving how "Come on You Whites" was just a phrase used by Fulham fans to express their support. The documents now form Exhibit 2 of Mr Kotler's lawsuit.

They showed that Fulham's official Twitter hashtag is #COYW and the club's Pakistani-American owner Shahid Khan likes to use the phrase in his letters, and also included a report by US media outlet NBC stating: "Newly promoted Fulham has already shelled out nearly $50 million this summer as the Whites look to secure Premier League status."

The DMW, however, was unmoved and in July Mr Kotler received a letter telling him: "We are remaining with our original determination that the configuration is unacceptable. 'Come on You Whites' can have racial connotations."

"It's just a shirt colour," an indignant Mr Kotler told the BBC. "The people at the DMV are either extra thick or very PC."

Mr Kotler, whose lawsuit explains that "Fulham is one of many sports teams that is described by the colour of its uniforms", added that he was shocked by the refusal.

"This is crazy," he said. "It was the furthest thing from my mind that anyone would object to it. Many clubs in Britain are known by their colour – the Blues, the Clarets. Nobody thought the Liverpool Reds were communists."

Mr Kotler is being supported by the libertarian-leaning Pacific Legal Foundation, which accused the DMV of an "attempt to make itself the speech police".

A foundation spokesperson said: "You can call Jon a sports fan or a first amendment expert, but the DMV's misguided efforts to regulate licence plates have misbranded Jon as a racist."

The DMV has said it does not comment on pending legal cases, but in one of its letters to Mr Kotler, an official wrote: "I am sure you can appreciate how difficult it is to balance an individual's constitutional right to free speech and expression while protecting the sensibilities of all segments of our population."

Los Angeles Magazine reported that California's DMV uses a 44-page document entitled Common Personalised Licence Plate Configuration Denials as the starting point for deciding what is and isn't acceptable.

When confronted by an unfamiliar word or series of letters, DMW officials may also use online resources like Google Translate, Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary to work out what it means.



https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/fulham-football-come-on-you-whites-racist-number-plate-lawsuit-banned-california-us-jonathan-kotler-a8862956.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Games for the Weekend 12/04
This weekend its the blue half of Liverpool, Everton to come to the Cottage.

So now that we're relegated will Scott play some of the youngsters, will the loanees still get a game, if so why?
Fulham players, all of them, need to play with pride and now that we've "nothing to play for" perhaps they'll be able to play with a level of freedom now that the pressures off?IF Scott really wants the managers job "full time" he may well continue with the loanees as he probably thinks that they'll give him his best chance for his first win as a manager, if he looses all of his games in charge he'll almost certainly have no chance of the job full time?

Whatever team we field Everton will be a tricky game, they've had some good results recently, historically we do quite well against them at home but I think our "attitude" will be the major factor for this game?

COYWs

Games of Interest...
Friday 12th
Leicester v Newcastle

Saturday 13th
Spurs v Huddersfield
Brighton v Bournemouth
Burnley v Cardiff
Fulham v Everton
Southampton v Wolves


come on over to the Friends of Fulham forum and join in the conversation..
.http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0



https://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=644

[WhiteJC]

 
West Brom: Isaac Hayden can be everything Stefan Johansen couldn't be

It's safe to say that not all of West Brom's ambitious January signings worked out well.

Indeed, Jacob Murphy and Jefferson Montero have had mixed results, but Stefan Johansen's loan move isn't going according to plan.

The centre-midfielder was surely signed to bring sparks to the Baggies' pretty drab midfield but he's been unable to do much on the creative front. Despite having assisted two goals and scored one in nine appearances, he's mostly been quite lacklustre and looks a shell of the player who helped take Fulham to the Premier League. Johansen's been unable to be the influential figure West Brom were hoping for, as someone more effective is needed to spark up their game next season.

The Baggies must be looking at options and Isaac Hayden's comments to the Newcastle United official website suggesting he'd be keen on a move down south, they must act after previously being reported to hold an interest by John Percy of the Telegraph in January.

Despite his unhappiness off the field, the former Arsenal midfielder's been a breakout star for the Magpies, putting in some bright performances against superior opposition. Clearly a technically gifted midfielder and one mobile enough to get all around the pitch, he'd be a breath of fresh air at the Hawthorns.

Not only has Hayden, who is valued at £6.3 million (by Transfermarkt), assisted three goals and scored one, but he's also been pivotal in finding space for his attackers to diligently creating chances. He's created four big goal-scoring chances while maintaining a 50% crossing accuracy and giving 16 accurate long-balls. Despite having to operate more defensively, Hayden's recorded a 57% tackling success and made 32 interceptions (stats via Premier League) to win possession, urging his side forward.

Alongside Jake Livermore, the 24-year-old can revitalise a midfield that often looks so painfully stodgy.

He can be the complete package for West Brom's midfield. In need of an energetic, box-to-box midfielder who can drive them forward and also win possession, the Baggies need to make a statement by outbidding Hayden's suitors and securing his signature next season.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/championship/west-brom/west-brom-isaac-hayden-can-be-everything-stefan-johansen-couldnt-be/

[WhiteJC]

 
Club pull out of race for Fulham player, but will still make offer for his teammate

According to Turkish newspaper Sozcu, Besiktas officials remain keen on Fabri's return but they don't want to sign his Fulham teammate Ryan Babel.

After Fulham's relegation from the Premier League it's expected both Fabri and Babel will leave the Premier League club, with reported interest from the Super Lig for both players.

Sozcu say Besiktas are ready to make a loan offer for Fabri and they are eager to be reunited with the Spanish goalkeeper, who they sold to Fulham for €6m last summer.

However, according to Turkish newspaper, the Besiktas board are not keen on Babel's return because of the previous antics of the Dutch player prior to his departure from the Vodafone Arena.

Babel is said to be a target for all three Turkish giants, Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, but Sozcu report the Black Eagles have distanced themselves from the winger.

The Netherlands intentional will become a free agent in the summer.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-pull-race-fulham-player-will-still-make-offer-teammate/